Allentown zoning board makes no ruling on Two City Center sign

City Center Investment Corp. has proposed a 172-square-foot digital sign at the corner of Seventh and Hamilton streets outside Two City Center.

City Center Investment Corp. has proposed a 172-square-foot digital sign at the corner of Seventh and Hamilton streets outside Two City Center. (CITY CENTER INVESTMENT CORP., CONTRIBUTED IMAGE)

Andrew Brown, Of The Morning Call

A decision that could have an impact on the look of downtown Allentown has been put on hold.

On Monday evening, the city's Zoning Hearing Board delayed deciding on a proposed 172-square-foot digital billboard on the newly constructed Two City Center.

The proposed sign would wrap around the building's corner at Seventh and Hamilton streets, displaying static ads for 10 seconds at a time. The sign would also include a stocks ticker at the bottom and a permanent frame featuring the logo for National Penn Bank, the building's main tenant.

The zoning question is just the latest issue presented to city officials since the 127-acre Neighborhood Improvement Zone was created in 2009 as part of an effort redevelop the downtown.

During the zoning board meeting, J.B. Reilly, CEO of Two City Center, argued that the sign is representative of the downtown's revitilization, but members of the community said the sign would diminish improvements that have been made.

"We believe it will add some vibrancy and excitement to Center Square," Reilly said during his pitch to the board.

Reilly said the sign would replace another that had hung on the Allentown National Bank building in 2007, before that building was torn down and replaced by Two City Center. He said the Allentown Planning Commission had unanimously endorsed the plan to erect the sign.

"What is going in here is not out of character for that corner," Reilly said.

Two-thirds of the advertisements that would run on the electronic sign would be for businesses not in Two City Center, Reilly said.

Reilly said the sign shouldn't cause any nuisance problems for local residents since it won't be visible from any apartments in the area. Instead, he said the sign is intended for pedestrians traveling through Center Square.

But several members of the community argued against the approval of the sign while simultaneously thanking Reilly for his work downtown.

"These types of signs cheapen an area," said Shane Fillman, a member of the Old Allentown Preservation Association and Historical Architectural Review Board.

Fillman said city officials should give the architectural review board the courtesy of reviewing the sign, even though that review board approval is not legally required.

And while Reilly said he had not sought any other zoning changes to put electronic billboards on the other Hamilton Street properties he owns, Fillman argued that if the billboard is approved, it would set a precedent for the construction of more electronic signs throughout the downtown.

Fillman cited the recent construction of electronic billboards on city property next to MacArthur Road.

"This is an issue for those trying to maintain the architectural integrity of our city," said Diane Teti, an Allentown resident.

"It seems like unneeded advertising," Teti said. "I don't think you can say this is complementing anything but somebody's wallet."